Jumping is an innate behavior in dogs. Dogs jump for a variety of reasons, including to show affection!
Unfortunately, jumping can cause frustration and injury. Read on to figure out why your dog jumps and how to break the habit.
Why Does My Dog Jump On Me And Not My Husband?
Jumping is your dog’s natural way of communicating with you! Dogs typically jump to gain your attention, and we often mistakenly reward them for it. Unfortunately, this behavior can cause trouble for you and your dog. You can train away this behavior by consistently redirecting your dog and providing plenty of exercise and affection.
How To Stop My Dog From Jumping On Me?
Professional trainers recommend a variety of methods to get your dog to quit jumping.
One method of breaking your dog of this habit is to simply remove yourself from the situation. Ignore your dog when they jump on you by turning away from them or leaving the room entirely. When your dog realizes they won’t get the attention that way, they will discontinue the behavior.
Be as calm as possible when ignoring your dog. Make sure that you react the same way every time your dog jumps. Your dog will become confused if you ignore the action one day and then scold them for it the next day.
Introducing a redirecting behavior increases your chance of successfully training your dog to stop jumping on you. A redirecting behavior is an action that distracts them from jumping and redirects their excited energy to another behavior.
A typical redirection is to teach your dog to sit. Begin practicing the sit command in a quiet, calm place. By rewarding this new behavior, your dog sees that this behavior earns food and affection while jumping does not.
The more times you practice ignoring jumping and redirecting your dog to more desirable behavior, the quicker your dog will stop jumping.
You can also decrease your dog’s urge to jump by giving your dog lots of praise and recognition throughout the day. This can be in the form of rewards for good behavior, like using the bathroom outside, or by allowing them plenty of time and space to exercise.
If you are having trouble getting your dog to stop jumping or if you notice aggression, consult a professional dog trainer. Also, if you’re unable to give your dog adequate time during the day, hire a dog walker who can help you mentally and physically stimulate your dog!
What Not To Do When Training A Dog To Not To Jump On People?
Unfortunately, most pet owners are woefully underinformed about how their actions influence their dog’s actions. Be careful to avoid these common missteps when training your dog.
Negative attention is still attention. Resist the urge to scold or push your dog away. Your dog may interpret your actions as an invitation to play, reinforcing the jumping behavior.
Do not physically punish your dog, either. Hitting leads to fear and distrust, souring the relationship between you and your pet. Punishment may also encourage aggressive behavior which isn’t good for either party.
Does Jumping On Me Mean That My Dog Likes Me More Than It Likes My Husband?
If your dog is jumping on you but not your partner, it is likely because you have encouraged the behavior more – not necessarily because your dog likes you more.
Your dog knows that jumping on you leads to attention, whereas jumping on your partner may not.
By training your dog to not jump on you, you are showing care for them by making sure they are well trained. A well-trained dog is a happy, fulfilled dog!
What Does It Mean When A Dog Jumps On You?
There is no one reason why dogs jump on their owners. Rest assured, however, that it is normal and solvable!
Jumping is observable in puppies, meaning that the behavior likely has natural roots. The behavior is a way for non-dominant pack members to communicate with their leaders.
So, when your dog jumps on you, it’s because they’re trying to tell you something! Usually, your dog wants you to give them attention. This could be because you’ve been gone, your pet is bored, or they’re hungry.
You can tell why your dog is jumping by assessing your situation. If your dog starts jumping when there is food around, they are trying to ask you for a bite! Most commonly, owners get jumped on when returning home because their pets missed them.
If your dog jumps for seemingly no reason, consider their breed. Do you have a breed known for its high energy? They may just be bored and want you to play with them.
One more situation to consider is when a new pet jumps on you. When dogs are in unfamiliar situations with unfamiliar people, they tend to get stressed. Thus, the jumping may be an attempt to gain dominance.
Why Does My Dog Jump On Me When My Husband Hugs Me?
If your dog seems to always jump on you when engaging in a hug, there is a simple explanation.
While hugs are a common way for humans to show affection to each other, the behavior doesn’t easily translate over to dogs. In fact, the position may remind your dog of the holds dogs use when fighting!
As the owner of a pet, you are the apple of your doggie’s eye. You feed them, protect them, and give them lots of snuggles and kisses. So, dogs often pay us back with their loyalty and protection.
Since dogs don’t understand hugs, they may believe that your partner is actually attacking you! This is especially common in breeds known to be protective.
The jumping is an attempt to get your partner to stop “fighting” with you.
If your dog is not a protective breed, they may still be attempting to protect you. However, another much sweeter reason for jumping during hugs is that your dog is trying to get your attention back!
Why Does My Dog Jump On Me And Bite Me?
Just as jumping is natural to dogs, so is biting! Sit and watch puppies play with their littermates, and you will see plenty of nipping and biting.
Dogs communicate differently than humans. Biting is a way for them to express affection and playfulness to others.
The biting behavior is much more common in puppies who use their mouth to explore (like human babies!). Dogs do not understand that biting can be harmful, however, since it is an accepted way for dogs to play with each other.
We’ve already talked about why it is important to train out the jumping behavior. It is even more necessary to break your dog of nipping, no matter how playful! Strangers do not understand that your dog is playing, and this can lead to trouble.
A dog who jumps and bites can be trained out of those behaviors by following the steps mentioned in this article.
Be alert, though. If your dog’s bites are more aggressive than playful, you may benefit from employing a certified dog trainer to safely break the habit.
Why Does My Dog Jump On Me When I Sit Down?
If your dog jumps on you when you sit down, they are usually doing it for many of the same reasons already discussed – attention, begging, or playing.
Training your dog out of this habit is similar to training them out of jumping on you when you’re standing.
As soon as your dog attempts jumping on you when you’re sitting down, calmly get up and walk away. Do not reward your dog with any recognition, good or bad. This includes pushing them out of the way.
Once your dog stops jumping, sit down again. You may have to repeat this a few times before your dog begins to understand. Be patient and consistent and the undesired behavior will stop!
Why Does My Dog Jump On Me While Walking?
Unlike the jumping behaviors discussed above, jumping during walks may indicate something different.
In this case, take your dog’s age and energy level into consideration. Is this a longer-than-usual walk?
If so, your dog may be trying to tell you they’re tired! They may also be hungry or thirsty. If you aren’t close to home, give your dog a chance to catch their breath and rehydrate.
Jumping on you may be your dog’s way of telling you they’re scared. Are there other dogs in the area?
Make sure you and your dog are not in danger. It may be beneficial to take a break and calm your dog down. If this behavior persists, seek professional consultation as your dog may be overly fearful.
If your dog doesn’t seem to be scared or tired, consider the more common reasons for jumping. Your dog may be less interested in walking than playing at the moment!
Why Is My Dog Jumping On Me All Of A Sudden?
Jumping behaviors are usually habits that have been reinforced since puppyhood. But what does it mean when your dog seems to start jumping on you out of nowhere?
The problem may lay with recent lifestyle changes.
With the increase in remote working, dogs have become accustomed to their owners being home and easily accessible. Your dog may get confused when you leave them home alone, whether you’re just running to the grocery store or moving back to the office.
Since jumping seems to be rooted in attention-seeking, the best way to get your dog to stop jumping is to make sure they are exercised and fulfilled! If you can, carve out a slot of time every day to walk or play with them and give them plenty of attention.
If you’re unable to consistently give them that block of attention, look into getting a dog walker. Your dog will appreciate the companionship and exercise, and it will give your dog less reason to jump on you!
Why Does My Dog Jump Only On Me?
When your dog only jumps on you, the jumping is likely a sign of affection designed to get your attention.
Regardless, rewarding the behavior may cause your dog to believe that jumping is okay. They may begin to jump on other people.
Avoid this by consistently ignoring the jumping. Give your dog lots of love and affection throughout the day! Finally, be sure your dog is also getting plenty of exercise.
Why Does My Dog Jump On Strangers But Not Me?
Your dog doesn’t jump on you. Congratulations! You were able to successfully discourage the behavior.
But what does it mean when your dog begins to jump on strangers?
Well, training your dog not to jump on you only teaches them that jumping is not an effective way of communicating with you.
Dogs, especially friendly ones, may want to introduce themselves to strangers by jumping on them to get their attention.
Jumping on strangers is risky behavior, unfortunately. People unfamiliar with your dog may take offense, get scared, or even be injured by the action.
To prevent trouble for both you and your dog, you need to break this habit as soon as possible.
First, make sure to keep your dog leashed when out and about. Try to stick to places where you can keep a considerable distance between you and a passerby, like a park.
In the early stages, work with your dog to have them keep their attention on you instead of the stranger. Make sure to reward them for doing this behavior to reinforce it!
There are many distraction methods to try, including training your dog to sit or lay down. Another common method is training your dog to complete a task like touching their nose to your hand.
Distracting your dog for a few minutes allows them to get their natural excitement out so they can properly greet strangers without jumping.
Why Does My Dog Keep Targeting My Private Area?
Smell is your dog’s number one sense — it’s 10,000 times better than a human’s sense of smell! Not surprisingly, dogs use smell to distinguish between people and figure out what’s going on.
Unfortunately, dogs don’t know what appropriate or inappropriate behavior is. This leads to embarrassing situations where your dog won’t stop sniffing your crotch.
As it turns out, sweat glands tell your dog a lot about you — including how old you are, your sex, and even your mood!
Most of these sweat glands are located in your private area and armpits. Since dogs usually can’t reach your armpits, their only option is to sniff your crotch.
The best way to stop this behavior is by training them to sniff something else. An easy method is to redirect your dog away from your genitalia to your open palm.
Stay consistent and offer your hand every time your dog attempts to sniff your private area. Make sure you reward them with treats and recognition to reinforce the desired behavior!
References
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/stop-your-dog-jumping
https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/what-to-do-if-my-dog-is-jumping#1